The Last Straw
by betteroffred
Summary: Aja's had it with Jerrica and puts her foot down over the use of Synergy. Maybe a little time across the pond with her fiance Craig will help?     This is kind of a prequel story to 'Picture Books' told from Aja's POV. Bad language galore  Roxy's in it!


"Well... it's been two hours and she hasn't called. I don't think Jerrica is coming to practice today," I said, more than a little disappointed. I lifted my guitar over my shoulders, unplugged, and began packing my gear for the day.

"Yeah..." Kimber sighed and plunked a finger down on her keyboard. "I guess you're right."

"Don't act so blue, guys. We still got some practice in." Shana volunteered, trying to sound optimistic. "The song is sounding really good."

Raya nodded and picked up that banner. "That's right. We got the harmony worked out on the new song and that has to count for something, right?"

Kimber shrugged. "I guess. I'm starving. You guys want to go down to the Red Rock Inn for dinner?"

"Hi! I'm here! Ok, let's get started!" Jerrica Benton breezed into the room, out of breath and in the Jem-hologram.

"Jerrica, practice started at six," I told her. "We were just about to go get something to eat."

"Oh. Well... order take out and we can rehearse the new song while we're waiting for it to get here." Jem suggested casually, an enthusiastic grin on her mask.

I snapped my guitar case shut. "Jerrica, we've been working on the song for the last two hours. We're starving and we're going out. If you wanted to practice you could have been here on time like the rest of us." I told her curtly.

Jerrica blinked at me through Jem's eyes, confused and put off by my words. "Sorry, Jem had a date with Riot. It ran a little longer than I thought. I'm here now, so let's not waste any more time."

"Waste time? Who's been wasting time? We've been rehearsing all afternoon while 'Jem' has been off with that scummy loser that you supposedly can't stand, Jerrica," I said.

"It was business, Aja. I said I was sorry. What's the big deal?"

I paused to look at her and instantly noticed the tension in the room around me. The other Holograms were all watching us in dead silence. I sighed and my shoulders dropped. "Nothing. Forget it."

"Well alright then, let's make some music!" Jem said triumphantly striding up to the microphone. Kimber groaned and Raya and Shana looked less than pleased.

I shook my head at Jem.

"What's the matter now?"

"Jem- Jerrica, I told you," I sighed and found my ground. "We've been rehearsing all afternoon and we're going out for dinner. Sorry, but you missed practice. Again."

Jem looked at me like I'd gone out of my mind. "Woah, hold on. I'm here now, and I'm the leader of the band. I say you guys order take out and we get some real work done. Now how about it guys? Don't rush off, I just got here." She shot a round of her winning smile around the room, the smile that had won over the hearts of even the most hardened music journalists.

"Yeah, well we've been waiting on you for two hours," I informed her. "If you were running late you could have called and we could have got something to eat earlier, but you didn't. It's after 8 and we're all hungry and tired." I caught a few nods out of the corner of my eye. Jem did, too.

"So that's it. You're all just going to leave. We have to get this new track recorded by Friday and we haven't even practiced it."

That did it. What did she think we'd been doing all day? Painting our nails? "Oh, WE'VE practiced it," I motioned around the room at the four Holograms who'd made it to practice every night that week. "You're the only one who hasn't bothered showing up. Don't act like we don't care about deadlines, we've been here working. You've only made it to one out of the last five rehearsals."

Jem's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "I'm... I'm sorry. Jeez, Aja, why are you making such a big deal about this? I'm here now."

"Why are you acting like that's all that matters? You're here now. So what? WE were all here on time. WE all worked really hard getting the music for the song learned and sounding good. WE are all sick and tired of you blowing off practice for Riot," I told her in no uncertain terms.

"I wasn't blowing off practice!" Jem snapped back at me. "I'm late. I'm sorry. I should have called. Get over it and let's get to work!"

"Maybe, if it hadn't happened so often I'd forgotten when the last time you WERE on time was," I huffed at her. "I'm done for the day. If you guys want to stay and practice, have fun. I'm going to get something to eat."

"What is your problem?" Jem asked both hands on her hips.

"What's my problem?" I laughed and stepped up close to Jem. "Gee, Jerrica, I don't know. You've missed every practice for a month. You're never on time for anything anymore. You're out with Riot so much I'm starting to think you care more about him than the band. That, and I've seen Jem more than I've seen Jerrica this month and I'm sick of covering for you with Rio."

Jem rolled her eyes. "I told you already, the thing with Riot is just business."

"Right. Like the thing with Riot on our last tour was just business," I huffed. "Besides, that's not what it looked like in the latest issue of Cool Trash," I muttered under my breath and slipped my jacket on.

"Since when did you start believing anything that trash-rag printed?" Jem asked.

I shrugged at her. "The way you act when I do see you... it's not much of a stretch." I was about to throw in the towel. Starting an argument with my best friend wasn't my idea of a good time, and my stomach really was growling. Her flippant, careless attitude burned me up, though, and I couldn't leave it at that.

"I don't like the way you've been acting lately. You're using Synergy too much. I don't like having to lie to Rio so Jem can go off with Riot. I don't believe it for second that the 'thing' with Riot is just business. You've been seeing him for a year; you go off with him for days at a time, sometimes weeks... You really think anyone believes your not sleeping with him? Riot doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who takes no for an answer," I laid into her, sparing her feelings none at all. "It's wrong Jerrica. You're abusing Synergy."

Jem laughed in my face. "Abusing Synergy? How?"

"You really think your father invented her so that you could sleep around without getting caught?"

There was a collective gasp of horror around the room followed by a moment of stark, shocked silence. Jem's eyes bulged wide like I'd slapped her.

We'd all thought it, and we'd all talked about it in one of the many band practices that Jem had missed. I knew I wasn't alone in my doubts and fears, but voicing those things, out loud and to Jem's face... My band mates had a right to be shocked.

Jem touched her left ear. "Show's over, Synergy," she said, glaring at me.

"Good," I said. "Maybe WE can have a real conversation now that Jem's gone."

Jerrica rolled her eyes. "We're the same person, Aja."

Hook, line, and sinker. I folded my arms and raised one eyebrow. "Yeah? Then how DO you justify cheating on Rio? I thought it was 'Jem' who was seeing Riot, but if you're both the same person..."

"My private life is none of your business." Jerrica glowered at me.

"No, you're right there. Who you sleep with is none of my business," I looked at her coldly. "But we've got a band image to keep up. Part of what the Holograms stand for is being true to yourself and always doing the right thing. We've always tried to set a good example for the Starlight Girls and the other kids that buy our records. What kind of example do you think you'd be setting if they all knew that you and Jem were the same person?"

"But they're not going to find out!"

"But we know!" I snapped. "I'm sick of lying for you, Jerrica. I hate lying to Rio. This isn't what your father wanted for-"

"Leave my father out of it!" Jerrica cut me short. "You have no idea what my father wanted! He left Synergy to me and-"

"Oh come on, Jerrica," Kimber sighed. "You know father wouldn't have been happy with the way you've been acting."

Jerrica snorted and laughed, stunned. "Now I've heard it all. You're going to lecture me on being responsible, Kimber? You of all people? Need I remind you of that little wedding fiasco with Shaun and Jeff?"

"At least Kimber faces up to her mistakes. You make them left and right and hide behind Jem like you haven't done anything wrong." I said.

"I'm not hiding behind- God, Aja, what is your problem today?" Jerrica folded her arms over her chest, fuming at me. "Cut me some slack! I work my butt off for this company and the band and the foundation! I deserve to have a little fun now and then!"

"No one's saying you don't!" I snapped back. "But be yourself! Be Jerrica! Being Jem has gone to your head. It's not good for you. All the lying is NOT good for you. It isn't good for us, and I'm sick and tired of it."

"So what do you want me to do? Quit being Jem? Hate to inform you Aja, but she's kind of important to the band."

I shrugged. "It's you who's important to the band, not Jem. You could tell the world that you're-"

"No! No way! I couldn't! Rio would be crushed!" Jerrica shook her head.

"Because then he'd know you've been sleeping with Riot all these years," I shook my head at her. "Jeez, Jerrica, you're worse than Pizzazz and Minx put together. At least they admit that they're slu-"

SLAP!

Jerrica's open palm hit my cheek so hard it left my ears ringing and my teeth rattled. Tears sprung up and stung my eyes. All I could do was stare at my best friend, shocked silly from the impact.

"Jerrica!" Kimber gasped.

"Truth hurts?" I asked Jerrica as I touched my burning cheek.

"My private life is none of your business," Jerrica scowled at me, unrepentant in the least.

"You're my best friend," I said. "You're like a sister to me and I love you, but," I shook my head and turned back to my guitar case. "I believe in what this band stands for. I don't think you even know what that is anymore." I said, lifting up my instrument and turning to Jerrica.

Jerrica gawked at me. "So what are you going to do? Quit? Walk out on us a month before we release the new album? Aja, you can't do that!"

"I can't be a part of this anymore. You think Jem's so important it's made you blind to reality. I'm done lying for you." I told her. "Either give up Jem and tell the world her true identity, or I quit."

There was another gasp around the room and the other Holograms looked back and forth between us like it was a tennis match being played with grenades.

Jerrica shot venomous daggers at me. "I'm sick of this! I'm sick of you! I don't have to justify myself to you! You don't like the way I'm running things, maybe you _should_ quit!"

"What? No! Aja, no! Jerrica, stop it! This is crazy!" Kimber jumped in between us. "Can't we work something out?"

"Jerrica, listen to what she has to say! We're all worried about you!" Shana added.

"It's true, Jerrica," Raya nodded. "We've all been worried about you for some time now. We just want what's best for you and the band."

Jerrica Benton stared down each of them, icy cold death in her eyes. "You're all on her side? After how hard I have worked to make this band successful?" She glowered at me. "If you don't like it, you can all quit!"

"Nobody wants to quit!" Kimber yelped frantically. She begged us, "Guys, calm down!"

"Jerrica, Aja, Kimber's right, we need to just calm down and talk this through," Shana said, trying her best to ease the tensions in the room.

I shook my head. "She's already made up her mind. Jem's more important to her than we are. "

"So quit!" Jerrica shouted at me. "I don't need friends who don't respect or trust me!"

I was half way to the door, but that made me stop. I wheeled around and poked Jerrica in the chest with one finger. "You're right. I don't trust you. I don't think I've trusted you for a long time, Jerrica. Half the time I feel like I hardly know you any more!" I vented months of frustration onto her. "You need to get it together! Grow up! Get real! Until then, I quit!"

"She hit you?" Craig asked my for the third time, sounding no less shocked.

"I know, I can hardly believe it myself," I sighed into the telephone receiver. I couldn't tell Craig the meat and bones of the argument, but I'd given him the gist.

It was three in the morning and I was back at the mansion, my bedroom door locked. Kimber had come knocking around ten when she'd gotten home, but I hadn't opened up for her. I wasn't mad at her; I just hadn't been up to talk to anyone just yet. So I'd sat up and watched television, brooding over my hurt cheek and bruised ego just long enough for the sun to have come up in the UK.

"I don't know what upsets me more, that she slapped me, or that she really doesn't think there's anything wrong with what she and Jem are doing."

"Oh hon. I'm sorry. I wish I could be there with you," Craig sighed. "I know you have a lot of respect for Jem, but..."

"But what?"

There was a moment of silence on his end and for a second I thought our call had been disconnected.

"Craig?"

"I always thought there was something a bit off about Jem," He told me after a moment. "That whole secret identity thing. I get having a stage name; a lot of musicians do that, but Jem's so much more secretive than most. There's something almost..."

"Almost what, Craig?"

Another pause. "I'm not sure. The way she guards her identity, there's something unhealthy about it. What could she possibly have to hide? The Holograms are such positive role models."

"Yeah..." What indeed? I didn't understand it myself. When we'd put the band together, it just seemed like something fun to do. It freed Jerrica up, gave her an outlet on all the high-pressure business stuff she dealt with, and it was fun! Jem could be outrageous in ways that Jerrica would never dream of being. Back then, the idea of Synergy had been exotic, exciting, and we had so many great ideas for her... We had no way of knowing that Jem would monopolize her or where that might lead. These days it was like Jerrica used Synergy and the Jem hologram like a crutch. Jerrica was the responsible, reliable one. She needed to cut loose, she asked Synergy to make her look like Jem and suddenly she was a new person. In a lot of ways, she might as well have been drinking; the results were often so similar.

"Say, babe, I've got an idea," Craig said. "Why don't you fly out to see me?"

"Oh, I don't know... Things here are so crazy right now... The timing-"

"The timing couldn't be better," He said. "It'll give you, Jerrica and Jem space, time to cool off... Come on, Aja, I haven't seen you since- In months," He changed gears and corrected himself quickly, but not quickly enough. We hadn't seen each other since he'd flown out to see Stormer, in the hospital, eight months ago, and it hadn't been a fun visit. We'd both been too worried for Stormer to enjoy the time together. "I miss you, babe."

I smiled and curled the phone chord around my finger. "I miss you, too."

"Besides, it'll give you and Mary a chance to really get to know each other."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, Mary's flying out Friday morning. She's going to be here for the summer, but you, my dear fiancé, can stay as long as you want."

The tone in his voice made me grin and blush. "God, I do miss you."

"Be at the airport at 8 AM on Friday. I'll have a ticket waiting for you."

I laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Would I lie to you?"

Friday morning. I'd managed to avoid Jerrica for two days straight, but I was sure she was going out of her way to steer clear of me, too. I'd told Shana, Kimber, and Raya that I was leaving town for a while. Kimber burst into tears, but Shana was a little more understanding. Raya hugged me and told me that sometimes people just need time to realize their mistakes. Give Jem some time, she said, but don't give up on her yet. Raya had always believed in Jem one hundred and ten percent, and I admired her faith in her friend. But I'd known Jerrica too long.

Things had slowly turned bad between us, and I didn't have much hope of them getting any better. Not while Jem was still in the picture.

What really bothered me about it was how Jerrica really seemed to think she needed Jem. Jem wasn't just a mask she put on anymore, and she wasn't just a stage name.

With a yawn, I headed over towards the British Airways booth. I was about twenty feet away when I saw Stormer sitting on a bench up ahead. She was flipping through a magazine, sitting quietly, and most surprisingly, alone. Last I'd heard from Kimber, Stormer didn't go anywhere by herself these days. I put on a smile and started towards her, determined to make this work. I only knew Stormer a little bit from helping her and Kimber produce their first collaboration album, and she'd been sweet and soft spoken then, nothing at all like the Misfit I'd known her as before.

A shock of stark, snow white hair cut through the crowd. Before I ever saw her face, I knew who it was. Twenty countries I'd traveled through and I'd never seen anyone else with hair as snow white as hers. Roxy. I groaned and sucked up some courage. She wasn't coming with to London, I told myself, and that was a small mercy. She's just here with Stormer before the flight takes off, that had to be it. Made sense, right? Kimber had said Stormer didn't go anywhere by herself, not to the grocery store, not to the mailbox, why would she go to an airport alone?

I put on my best smile and strode up to them like it was the most natural thing in the world for me to be meeting two Misfits at eight thirty in the morning.

"Hey you two," I waved.

"Hey, you made it," Stormer looked up at me and smiled.

Roxy made a highly visible effort to ignore me, but I didn't feel like letting her off that easy. "Hey, Roxy." I waved at her, doing my best to 'make nice'.

"Whatever," Roxy yawned, flipped the page in the magazine she'd pilfered from Stormer, and didn't bother making eye contact with me.

Stormer shot me a funny look and shook her head, nodding towards Roxy. "She's not a morning person."

"Well who is?" Roxy grumbled. "We've been here since seven. I'm bored and hungry, and I hate airports."

Stormer smiled at me and rolled my eyes. "That's an understatement." She told me, making some space on the bench next to her. "Here, sit down. I swear we don't bite."

I wasn't too sure about that, but I took her up on the offer. We had a good forty five minutes to kill before they called us to the gate, and I'd already checked in my bags. I held my purse on my lap and leaned back in the bench, looking straight forward, not sure what to say. I didn't know Stormer very well, and I didn't like Roxy. What options did that leave for small talk?

Ten seconds passed, thirty...

"Um, I need some coffee. Anyone else?" Stormer asked us. Apparently she'd been feeling the uncomfortable, awkward silence, too.

"Hell yes, tall mocha extra chocolate, extra sprinkles, extra caffeine, extra everything," Roxy muttered.

Stormer smirked and giggled. "Right, so a tall mocha with a triple espresso drop shot, heavy on the chocolate."

"With whipped cream and sprinkles," Roxy smiled back. "And a blueberry muffin?"

Stormer nodded. "Aja?"

"Um... nah, I'm ok. The Starlight Girls made me a going away breakfast this morning and-"

"Aw, they were so happy you were leaving they decided to celebrate. How fucking sweet," Roxy yawned, nose buried in her magazine again.

Stormer glanced at me and smiled. "Ignore her, she's NOT a morning person and just loves to prove it." She said, digging some cash out of her purse. "You sure you don't want anything? I'm buying."

I shook my head. "No, but thank you for asking."

"Ok," She said, getting up from the bench.

"Hey, you want me to go? You can stay here with Aja," Roxy volunteered suddenly. Surprisingly. The tone in her voice had lost all hint of 'bitch' in the span of two seconds flat. I stared at her, a little amazed. Since when did Roxy do anyone favors?

"The coffee stand is like two feet away," Stormer told her. "I'll be right back." She smiled again and I glanced back at Roxy.

Ok, now I was really confused. Was that, could it have been... real concern on Roxy's face? It was gone in a heartbeat, but I was sure I'd seen it. She caught me looking at her and scowled at me.

Stormer went to get coffee. I watched her walk across the cause way and get in line for that morning jolt. I glanced over at Roxy. The Misfit was watching her, too, like a hawk.

"Hey, uh-"

"What?" She turned and glared at me again, but only for a second. Her eyes were right back on Stormer a moment later.

"Is everything ok? I mean... with Stormer? How's she been doing?"

Another dirty look for my inquisitive mind. "Stormer's fine."

"Oh yeah? Good," I nodded. "That's good. I just wondered, you know. Kimber saw her like a week ago and said-"

"What?" Roxy snapped at me.

"Nothing!" I snapped back a little too defensively. "You know, nothing bad. Just that Stormer had been having kind a rough time since she got out of the hospital."

"Yeah, well Kimber's got a big fucking mouth. What does she know? She's seen Stormer like three times since she got home, whoop dee doo."

"God, I was just asking," I groaned and slumped back on the bench. "Excuse me for living."

Roxy sat looking straight forward watching Stormer, her arms crossed. She looked pissed, and I was clueless as to what her major malfunction was this time. Then again, Roxy was always pissed off about something. The Misfit took a deep breath and sighed, and turned to me, talking quickly and quietly.

"Look, Stormer's been ok this week, but..." She froze, clenching her teeth. She looked conflicted, I thought, confused maybe.

"What?"

"Last week was bad. Like, really fucking bad. She had, like, a melt down in the studio, broke a bunch of stuff. Craig asked if she wanted to come visit and I thought, maybe... maybe getting out of L.A. would be good for her?" She said it like she was looking for confirmation, and for the life of me she sounded small and worried. "L.A.'s so crazy all the time, and the press is always on top of us. She needs a break." She said, none of that worried tone there, just blunt statement of fact.

It was the most the foul mouthed bass player had ever spoken to me, and I didn't get the sense that any of what she was saying was another lousy Misfit scam. "Yeah, ok, that makes sense..."

"Aja, I've never asked you for a fucking thing, but..." Her brown eyes got wide, really wide, and she froze again.

I sat up a little straighter. "What is it?" Something about the look on her face, the urgency in her voice, I didn't think she was screwing with me. Something about her tone of voice scared me a little.

Roxy gulped and looked away for a moment, glanced back at where Stormer stood by the coffee stand waiting in line. She took a deep breath. "Just... Keep an eye on her for me, ok? I know we're not friends or anything, but you don't hate Stormer and you're, like, one of the fuckin' good guys and I trust you a hell of a lot more than I trust her brother."

I gawked at her. Had I just heard all that correctly? "What?" I shook my head and blinked at her. "I mean, yeah. Of course I'll look out for her. Are you sure she should even be flying? You seem worried"

"Stormer's really tough, but she's only human, you know? She wears herself out trying to be ok for everyone and that's when the shit hits the fan. She's been a lot better this week, but Aja, if she needs anything, like any fucking thing at all, just call me, ok? Promise me?"

I blinked at her, shocked by her request. "Um, yeah. Sure. Of course. What's your number?"

Roxy pulled a slip of paper and handed it to me. Her contact information was written on it as neatly as she could muster, which apparently was about as neatly as a drunken orangutan. She'd had it ready to go, and I realized, she must have been planning this little speech before this morning.

I looked up at her, holding the sheet of paper in my hands. "Are you sure she's ok to fly to London?" Cuz none of this was sounding 'ok', not even a little bit.

The Misfit shrugged. "Craig's her brother, right? She'll be ok with him. And you'll be there," A half a smile crossed her lips and she looked away. "I've been with her every day since... you know, and..." She shook her head and looked down at her hands.

"You just want her to be ok," I finished for her with a safe guess.

"I'm no good at this stuff," She corrected me. "She'll be better with Craig."

"Um..." I was at a total loss for words; all I could do was stare at her.

"Shit, she's coming back. Don't go telling her I said all that to you. And DON'T let Craig baby the hell out of her, that's the LAST thing she needs."

"Um, yeah, sure..." I folded the paper and stuffed it into my purse with my passport just as Stormer got to the bench.

"Here you go, triple espresso, half chocolate, with extra chocolate and a ton of sprinkles. They were out of blueberry muffins, though, so you'll have to settle for apple and cinnamon or nothing at all." Stormer told Roxy, tossing her a cellophane wrapped muffin. "I got you one, too, Aja. Snacks for the flight," She smiled at me and tossed me one, too.

"Thanks," I said, popping the treat into my carry-on bag for later.

Stormer sat back down with us and the two Misfits sipped their coffee, chatting a little amongst themselves.

"-shut up, Jetta never said that!"

"Yeah she did," Roxy snorted. "Jetta said Clash said that LinZ said that-"

I listened to them, slightly amused. Stormer seemed ok, I thought. She seemed up beat, even kind of perky for waiting around in an airport. So was this just an act? Or was she just having a good morning? Was Roxy blowing things out of proportion? I mean, it wasn't the first time I'd heard about Misfits breaking musical equipment. Then again, the circumstances were different. Maybe it wasn't as bad as Roxy was making out, and Stormer really did just need a break from L.A.? L.A .being L.A., who didn't need a break from the city now and then?

Man's voice over a loud speaker called our flight; we'd begin boarding in ten minutes.

I stood up and stretched and grabbed my bag. "Ready?" I asked Stormer.

"Yeah," She said, sipping down the last of her coffee. "As ready as I'm getting for nine hours on a plane, ugh!"

Roxy snickered, "Better you than me, chickadee. I hate flying."

"Really? I never noticed," Stormer laughed lightly and grabbed Roxy in a hug, "I'm gonna miss you."

"Shut up," Roxy blushed, but she squeezed Stormer back. "Call me when your flight gets in."

So much for tender and touching moments with the Misfits. Their little display of almost-affection was kind of funny, though, and Roxy caught me smirking at them.

"Ok, you better get going," Roxy pulled away quickly. "Sooner the plane gets in the air the sooner there's one less lousy stinking Hologram in town, and that's reason to celebrate."

I snorted at her, "I'm gonna miss you, too, Misfit."

Stormer chuckled at us both, flung her purse over one shoulder, and gave Roxy another quick squeeze and a peck on the cheek. Suddenly they were speaking in voices too quiet for any around them to hear, serious looks on their faces. Stormer said something and Roxy nodded, casting a fast glance my way.

"Ok,"

"Really, it'll be fine," Stormer said.

Roxy nodded again and smiled for her. "Ok, get going. Say hi to Craig for me,"

Stormer laughed. "Yeah, right."

We walked to the gate together and before we disappeared on board, Stormer turned and waved at her friend.

Our seats were together, thanks to Craig. "So Misfits are capable of almost being friendly. Who'd a thunk it?" I said, propping my bag into the over head compartment. "You want the window or the aisle?"

"Window? Unless you want it,"

"Take it," I told her.

"Thanks," Stormer sighed, sounding relieved. "And yeah, that was about as friendly as Misfits get in public."

I chuckled. "If you took out all the wise cracks and smart remarks, you could almost tell Roxy was going to miss you."

Stormer glanced up at me, "Really?"

"Yeah, really," I chuckled and took my seat. "I think she was almost sad to see you go."

The Misfit looked down at her hands briefly and smiled. "What did she say about me?" She asked, looking over at me expectantly.

"Huh?"

Stormer's eyes narrowed. "Come on, Aja, I KNOW Roxy said something to you. I'm not blind. I saw you guys talking."

"Uh..." Crap. "Nothing, really,"

Stormer nodded, clearly not buying my little fib for a second. "Ok. Let's talk about something else then. What was your big fight with Jerrica all about?"

I blanched and stared at her, totally caught off guard and it took me a moment to get my brain functioning again. "Ok, Roxy asked if I'd keep an eye on you, that's all." I relented, choosing the lesser of two evils. "She told me you broke some stuff in the studio at Stinger Sound."

Stormer smirked. "That's it?"

I shrugged. "She also said you wore yourself out trying to be ok for everyone and to not let Craig baby you." I fessed up. "I have to admit, I was shocked. I really think she was concerned about you- and Roxy has never struck me as the caring type."

Stormer smiled and sunk back in her seat a little. "Roxy's sweet. You just don't know her."

"Roxy? Sweet?" I laughed at the notion. "If you say so, Misfit," I smiled at her.

"I do," She said. "So what did happen with Jerrica? Kimber wouldn't tell me everything, but I have this sneaking suspicion it has to do with Jem..."


End file.
